The world’s largest EV market, China, continues gaining momentum as automakers – domestic and foreign – are racing to claim their share in the auto industry’s future. Nio, Xpeng, and Li Auto, three Chinese EV leaders, reported strong delivery numbers in 2022 despite ongoing supply chain disruptions. Here’s a look at how their deliveries compared this past year.
Nio, Xpeng, and Li Auto battle for EV share in 2022
Despite facing supply chain constraints brought about by COVID-19, EV makers Nio, Xpeng, and Li Auto fared well in December, capping off an impressive 2022.
Li Auto led the way, delivering 21,233 vehicles in December, up 50.7% year-over-year (YOY), for a total of 133,246 in 2022, representing an over 47% increase from last year.
Nio lowered its expectations for the fourth quarter last week after a slowdown in December over production constraints in China due to a rising number of COVID-19 cases. The company said it was facing challenges (deliveries and production) in December 2022 due to China’s strict “zero COVID” policies.
Meanwhile, the company delivered 15,815 EVs in December, a new record high monthly sale, bringing total sales for the year to 122,486, an increase of 34% YOY.
Nio has several big EV releases coming up, including its flagship EC7 coupe SUV and ES8 refresh, which it believes will help drive future sales. In addition, the EV maker is quickly expanding into Europe, launching its models in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden.
Xpeng ranked third, delivering 11,292 vehicles in December, down from 16,000 last year, for a total of 120,757 in 2022. During its most recent earnings, XPeng compared the EV race in China to a marathon competition, saying only those with “well-rounded capabilities, core technology,” and the ability to “monetize from hardware and software will win in the end.” The company is betting on in-house technology like its full-stack driver assistance system tech and in-car intelligent operating system.
What do you guys think? Will XPeng lead in the long run? They are the only EV maker among the three to see a drop in deliveries this past month compared to last December. Perhaps China easing COVID-19 restrictions will help. Let us know what you think in the comments.